Nonetheless, such regulations were poorly implemented, because there was no clear provision in the regulations on the enforcement body and mechanism of the ban, Yang said.
Moreover, little public awareness, insufficient government support and opposition from some interest parties had posed obstacles for national legislation, Xie Zhiyong, executive director of the Health Law Research Center of China University of Political Science and Law, said.
Another difficulty was that many legal experts had little knowledge of the smoking control laws, and that would make legislation less practicable, Xie said.
A non-government working group for tobacco control legislation was founded Saturday in Beijing.
The group consists of 59 legal experts from universities and administrative organs.
Legal experts have just begun to examine tobacco control legislation, Xie said.
Xie called for a detailed law on tobacco control in China, which included clear provisions on the enforcement body, methods and an appraisal system for the enforcement.
The legislation would be not only for implementing the FCTC, but also for the health of Chinese people, Xie said.
Professor Cui Xiaobo, of the Capital Medical University, said it would be unrealistic for China to implement the FCTC without national legislation on tobacco control.
Many countries had recognized that tobacco control brought social and economic benefits, but some people in China still argued such controls might affect the tobacco industry and the economy, Cui said.
